


What a wonderful guy

by Edollhouse



Category: Space Force (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:48:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24860314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Edollhouse/pseuds/Edollhouse
Summary: The first time he met Jerome was in the Colorado Desert, in the actual desert. How Dr Adrian Mallory and Jerome Lalosz first met.
Relationships: Adrian Mallory/Jerome Lalosz
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	What a wonderful guy

The first time he met Jerome was in the Colorado Desert, in the actual desert. 

The base was still in its early stages, but the few people who had arrived to the base had the previous day been informed that the sculpture that no one cared was being sculptured was finally finished and ready to be inaugurated. 

Subsequently at 5:20 am the following Friday everyone who did not have a valid excuse was transported out to see the artwork that would crown Space Force’s surroundings. The early hour was justified by something to do with how shadows fell in the morning light that would affect how they would perceive the artwork. People were tired and no one from the base seemed to know much about the artist. However, on the bus over, it was explained to them that the artist was a world-renowned sculptor who specialized in phalluses made of sand. Mallory noticed how his team tittered, groaned, and went back to sleep along with the rest of the bus.

At the time, Mallory had thought the sculpture an almost perfect metaphor for the whole Space Force – a big useless penis that people who were stupid enough considered a testament of strength and power. Though he had to admit that it did look good, the big sand pillar in a surrounding of much the same colors. It reminded him of the rauks he had seen on his travels in Norway and Sweden. Of course those big stone pillars were one of nature’s own artworks and would last much longer than their Space Base and its sand phallus. 

He wasn’t primarily there to look at the artwork. Impressive though it might have been, his priority was to meet the man who would be the creative artist in their lunar habitat experiment. There had been some discussion and eventually an agreement that the man would be allowed to finish and uncover his creation before the experiment started. It was unclear how Jerome Lalosz had ended up taking part in an experiment as well as being appointed the base’s official artist, something that had happened shortly after, but Mallory figured somewhere someone had thought it a good deal – two for the price of one. 

So while Mallory’s team didn’t know much about the artist, they knew quite a lot about Jerome as a human being. According to his file he was 58 years old and just over 6 feet, born in Chicago, both parents still alive, and made a living as a fairly successful artist. In temperament he was calm, kind and generous, rarely got angry, but if he did he often fell back on passive aggressiveness, but it never seemed to last long. However, all that information had not prepared Mallory to meet Jerome the human being in person. 

Since Mallory was of highest rank present, he had the honor of meeting the artist first. The artist was introduced to him as the world-renowned Jerome Lalosz and Mallory knew that he should say something nice about the big pillar of sand. He hated platitudes and therefore told the man that the artwork had made him think of the rauks, which was neither a critique nor really a compliment, but definitely the truth. The artist looked at him for a second and then burst up in one of the most beautiful, innocent and honest smiles Mallory had ever seen. It made him feel warm inside and made him want to smile back.

“Thank you, professor.”

“Eh, Doctor Mallory,” Mallory corrected and offered his hand. Jerome shook it with a handshake that was neither too hard nor too soft. 

“Nice to meet you, Dr. Mallory. I’m Jerome.”

“Yes, I know.” There was a slightly awkward silence, but they managed some polite conversation before the person in charge of the event reminded Jerome that there were plenty who wanted to meet him. 

“Oh, yes, of course.” Then he turned to Mallory. “Another time.” Mallory smiled back. 

“Another time,” he answered, which he immediately regarded as an idiotic thing to say, since he knew he would meet Jerome in the afternoon. 

When they met again in the afternoon, Jerome seemed surprised but happy to see him again, though he didn’t say much. They met in an office with the three military members of the experiment. Mallory quickly explained how they had been specially chosen and would now be put through some physical and psychological tests, and eventually, a year from now, they would be put permanently in the lunar habitat. 

“Of course, ‘permanently’ in this case means 12 months. But don’t worry, by that time we will have made you well prepared for the psychological challenge that it undeniably will be. Any questions?”

The three military members looked at each other and then shook their heads. They were professionals, familiar to the kind of experiments conducted at the base and had entered this project with open eyes. Mallory thought that Jerome looked a bit unsure, waited a second, but no one said anything.

“Good, then you are official residents of Lunar Habitat 325. We will start the tests on Monday ten days from now at 6:00 am. You are free to go.” 

The military rose, saluted him and then walked out the room, shortly followed by Jerome. When Jerome had reached the door, Mallory called after him. 

“Jerome.” Jerome stopped and turned with that gentle smile of his and once again Mallory felt his heart beat faster. “Are you sure you don’t have any questions? As a civilian you will have much less experience of these kind of things than the others.”

Jerome closed the door and took a step towards the table as though he was going to sit down again, but he settled for grabbing the back of the chair. “Yes, I have a question. I mean, the proceedings have been explained to me very well several times and your presentation right now was very thorough. But there is something that has been on my mind. Why would you choose a 58 year old man?” 

Mallory’s heart stopped for a second. What? How? Had Jerome managed to read his mind? Jerome continued. 

“I mean, you don’t send 58 year old astronauts into space, why send me into the lunar habitat? Why not someone younger and fitter?”

Mallory tried to hide that he momentarily had forgotten how to breathe. He cleared his throat and folded his arms, looking anywhere but at Jerome. “Well, eh, Jerome, that’s a very valid question. The astronauts will be chosen from the military, based on criteria suitable for space travel. You’ve been chosen primarily for your creativity as an artist as well as your psychological profile.” He couldn’t be more specific than that without risking affecting the experiment. He looked down at his papers and the overview of Jerome’s profile. “Though you are very fit for your age.”

As soon as he had said that he wanted to be swallowed up by the earth. He had only read from the stupid overview. _Stupid, stupid, stupid_. After seconds that seemed like hours he finally dared to look up at Jerome. Jerome, of course, gave him another warm smile. 

“That’s the second compliment you’ve given me in just one day.”

That was enough to make Mallory’s defensive professionalism kick in. He put on his cool rational head scientist voice. “I sincerely apologize. That was very unprofessional of me. I will make sure to act and speak to you appropriately in future.”

Jerome’s eyes turned almost sympathetic. He stopped smiling, but the smile was still luring in the corners of his mouth. He then walked over to Mallory. “No, I apologize.” He sounded incredibly sincere. Mallory couldn’t understand how anyone could sound so sincere about a simple, and in this case unnecessary, apology. “I have made you feel uncomfortable.”

Mallory diverted his gaze and once again had to remind himself how to breathe. “I-I wouldn’t say that.”

“Would it make you feel more uncomfortable if I asked you to have dinner with me tonight? Because in that case, I won’t.” He didn’t sound teasing or suggestive. Ok, maybe a little, but mostly caring. All of Jerome just exuberated kindness and earnestness. Mallory was ready to wager that there wasn’t a mean bone in his body.

Mallory looked up at him with honest disbelief. He knew everything and nothing about this man. Still it wasn’t the profile that had given him any information, but rather all the feelings that Jerome somehow had managed to trigger without them barely having a conversation. “You are out of this world,” he mumbled. 

Jerome smiled. “That’s the third.”

-

Despite that it was stupid and unethical and would cost him if it got out, Mallory agreed to have dinner with Jerome at a restaurant far away from the base. 

Once he was home preparing, the panic started to kick in. _I have a date. Oh my god, I have a date. Why did I agree to this?_

He hated dates, and as he tried to decide which ensemble to wear he wondered if this wasn’t a huge mistake. This would probably be when he would discover that despite undeniable chemistry, he and Jerome had nothing in common and would end the night in polite conversation that would bore them both to death. But that didn’t happen. Instead he arrived at the restaurant where Jerome was already waiting. He had chosen a mustard yellow outfit, which Jerome immediately admired. They ordered and Jerome started talking about his artwork and Mallory’s earlier comment.

“I’m so happy you thought of the rauks. They are just so majestic. Natural beauties, aren’t they? People often associate my work to sexual imagery and well, sex, which I guess is unavoidable, but I have always been a fan of the other tradition, that it’s life bringing. The vagina has been a symbol of nature’s protection and life giving powers, why can’t the phallus be?”

Mallory smiled at the enthusiasm, much more relaxed here without the risk of prying eyes. “I guess because of its association to men as violent killers.” It was easy to understand why the President had thought it a suitable artwork for the Space Force.

Jerome smiled again and Mallory quickly decided that no one had ever thought of Jerome as anything but a soft teddy bear. “I guess you’re right. But then we should all help correcting that image.”

He looked with soft intensity at Mallory and after a second Mallory was lost in Jerome’s eyes. Over the years he would become used to being lost looking at Jerome. The trance was only broken when Jerome once again spoke. 

“Did you know that in Sweden every midsummer they raise a big phallus made of greens and flowers and dance around it? Over there it’s a happy symbol.”

“I did not . . . but then the Swedes never cease to amaze me,” Mallory tried to joke and Jerome was nice enough to chuckle. 

“But enough about my work, what about yours? I want to know everything. It seems very exciting . . . Or is it all top secret?” Jerome said it with a tone full of interest, but also understanding.

Mallory nodded. “Most of it is classified, yes.” Jerome nodded back. Realizing he had almost killed the conversation, Mallory forced himself to come up with some kind of answer. “We are meant to give the scientific support to achieve a space base camp on the moon by 2024. But other than that, we are working on, among other things, how we can use our satellites to improve life for people on earth, foremost America.”

“Wow . . . sounds important, a worthy mission.”

Mallory put his head to the side. “A mission that you are now part of.” 

Mallory never slept with people on a first date, so it was inexplicable to him how he ended up in Jerome’s hotel room and in his bed. At the restaurant he had kept telling himself that it wasn’t that bad, that he hadn’t really crossed a line. By the time Jerome asked if he wanted to come up to his room “for tea”, Mallory knew that the line had been crossed several miles back.

They had tea, but first they had sex. Mallory hadn’t had sex in almost a year, too busy working, but with Jerome everything felt easy and natural. 

Afterwards Mallory lay in the soft fresh hotel sheets. Jerome got up from the bed, still wonderfully naked, to put the kettle on and prepared the tea bags. 

Mallory studied him shamelessly. “You must work out quite a lot.” 

It was more a statement than a question. Jerome turned to face him with an almost embarrassed smile. “Wow, keep complimenting me even after we’ve had sex. I can’t believe you’re single,” he quipped. Then the water was ready and he poured it in the cups and walked over to Mallory. “I haven’t been this fit since my 30s. Wouldn’t you work out like crazy if you were going to participate in an astronaut experiment?” 

“I live at an air force, sorry, space force base in the middle of the desert. There’s very little to do but work and work out”.

Jerome was back in the bed carefully handing Mallory his cup. “Hmm . . . you strike me as someone who works a lot though.”

Mallory raised half an eyebrow. “Are you saying I’m not fit?”

Jerome let out an embarrassed laugh. “No, I was trying to say you seem like a hardworking man who takes his job very seriously, helping millions of people. I’m just not as good as giving compliments as you.”

Mallory chuckled at the lie. It had appeared that Jerome was a talker during sex and he had praised Mallory nonstop. 

Then Jerome turned serious. “I know this is probably very selfish to not ask until now, but . . . will you get into a lot of trouble for this?”

Mallory thought about it. “No one knows anything, and I believe myself professional enough to make sure to not risk the experiment.”

“Does that mean you don’t want to do this again?” Jerome sounded disappointed, but when he saw Mallory’s surprise, he quickly apologized. “Sorry, sorry, a very unfair question when I have you naked in my bed. You don’t have to answer.”

But Mallory already knew the answer. He had lived long enough and was proud over his ability to make good rational decisions. However, in this case it was not his brain that gave him the answer. 

“I definitely want to do this again.”

Next day was a Saturday and Mallory had the day off. Jerome had to give a couple of interviews about the artwork, but after that they took a car and drove around the base’s surroundings. Mallory thought it was just mostly sand, but Jerome thought it was beautiful, and after a while Mallory could see the charm too. 

They had dinner at another remote restaurant. They spoke about their childhoods and their families, career plans and favorite holidays. It felt like they had known each other forever and were just two people reminiscing together. Once again they ended up in Jerome’s hotel room. 

Mallory was actually supposed to spend the week preparing for the test start, but all the preparations were already done and he thought it much more important to figure out what he wanted with Jerome and how that would possibly risk the test. He told himself that in a way he was preparing for the test. 

“So we are really doing this?” Jerome asked their last evening before test start and placed a soft kiss on Mallory’s chest. They were in Jerome’s hotel room, but they hadn’t had sex. Instead they had watched Mallory’s favorite film _La cage aux folles_ (the original, though he secretly liked the remake as well).

“People would probably call it inadvisable . . . but if you want to, it would make me very happy.”

Jerome looked up at him. “Want to? I haven’t felt like this since I don’t know when. I’m just worried it might get you into trouble. Would it help if I dropped out of the experiment?”

“No!” the science part of Mallory’s brain shouted before he could stop it. Then he took Jerome’s arm and placed it around him and continued in a calmer manner. “No, that would set it back weeks. No, a better solution is discretion and I won’t be the primary scientist to study your data . . . You won’t think it strange, having me studying you?”

“I guess you would have an advantage, but isn’t that what people dating normally do? Trying to figure each other out?”

Mallory couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes, maybe, but not as scientific as this.”

“I bet it is when it’s you,” Jerome teased in his gentle manner. “I really don’t mind. Whatever you will find out about me, it won’t be anything I was trying to hide or something you wouldn’t be smart enough to notice anyway. I am . . . I think I am a pretty simple guy. What you see is what you get . . . Oh! Except one thing.” His eyes suddenly glistened and he gave Mallory a conspiring smile. 

He got up and reached under the bed. Mallory looked at him. “What have you been hiding from me?” he asked half serious half jokingly. “It’s not a body, is it?”

Jerome came up from under the bed with a four feet long wood pipe and a bright smile. “My new secret passion,” he announced, but then paused. “Well, I guess you are now, but before you.”

Mallory’s eyes widened. He had to admit, he had not expected that. “Is that what I think it is?”

“The real deal,” Jerome answered happily. “I’ve been learning to play it for a year now. Do you want to hear?”

He was so enthusiastic, Mallory didn’t have the heart to say no. “Sure.”

Jerome played his didgeridoo and Mallory realized he was definitely in love. There was no other explanation why he would actually enjoy listening to not one, not two, but three pieces performed by Jerome – the last piece requested by Mallory.

He applauded him and Jerome made a little bow. The didgeridoo was carefully put away and Jerome returned to bed.

“Do you play any instruments?” he asked, placing his head to Mallory’s chest.

“I dabble in the piano.”

“That’s nice. You must play for me sometime,” Jerome said, half asleep.

“You don’t have one of those under the bed, do you?” Mallory joked, but then noticed that Jerome was already sleeping. “I will,” he promised and turned off the light.


End file.
